Six times a New York City woman appeared in Family Court to get an order of protection against her ex-partner. Four of those six times her case was adjourned because an interpreter wasn’t there to translate a language from Sri Lanka for her adversary.

Translator Lorena Pike hasn’t taken any work in Clark County courts for more than three months. It doesn’t pay enough.

The president of the Nevada Interpreters and Translators Association can earn at least twice as much working for a law firm or at one of the many conventions around Las Vegas. But she and other translators understand the need for their services in the halls of justice. Recently, Pike was one of 20 Spanish interpreters who signed a petition requesting a pay structure that “reflects both the expertise required and the increased cost of living.”

“We hereby request that a two-hour assignment, at a minimum, and the reinstatement of the $50 per hour fee be approved and granted to help us cope with such financial burdens,” the petition said. Read more>>